Loose-leaf binder



Mafy' 12, 1942- A. M. MARTIN .2,282,976

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 3l, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May l2, 1942. A. M. MARTIN LOOSE LEAF- BINDER Filed May 3l, 1940 5 Sheebs-Sheel 2 May 12, 1942. A. M. MARTIN LOOSE LEAF BVINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Filed May 3l, 1940 52.067 zforg @fray/@fam fat/QM@ W Patented May 12, 1942 UNITE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Alfred M. Martin, Park Ridge, Ill.

Application May 31, 1940Seral No. 338,063

5 Claims. (Cl. 12S-17) This invention relates to loose-leaf binders of the staggered prong type having a pair of oppositely disposed angularly opening prong-holding parts for carrying loose leaves in echelons, the margin of each leaf in a series being exposed for visibility of data or the like thereon.

The invention is especially adapted forV binders of this class in which the prong-holding parts are relatively shiftable for maneuvering the leaves to remove or insert a leaf in proper position in echelon.

Among other objects, the invention aims to provide an improved binder of this type having enhanced exibility of function and purpose, together with relative simplicity of structure and operation.

More particularly this and other objects Y.and advantages will be apparent from theY following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a binder Villustrating my 4present invention and showing the toggle parts in half-open'position, the covers being broken away to save space and showing, lby broken lines, two alternate selective longitudinal shifted positions of the binder parts indicated;

Figure la is a greatly reduced plan view of the binder of Figure 1 showing account loose leaves or the like held therein;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of parts of the binder shown in Figure 1, and being a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 5 on'a slightly reduced scale with the covers omitted;

VFigure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of locking members shown `in Figure 3 with parts in changed position;

Figure 5 is a cross-section of the binder similar to Figure 6 but showing the toggle parts in fully closed position and omitting the binder back finishing material; Y

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a view of parts shown in Figure 6 in an alternative position as when the partially open locking mechanism is being released;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6, but showing the toggle parts in fully open position;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan section on the line 9 9 of Figure 6 on a slightly reduced scale omitting the back finishing material and showing, by broken lines, one Vlongitudinal selective position of the binder parts;

, position ofthe parts. Y

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in the drawings, the two-part toggle device represented by the toggle parts |2 and I3,

connected by a central hinge I4, is supported by l the two-part binder back represented by the back sections I5 and I6, as on side hinges I1 and I8 (Fig. 6). In accordance with the present invention, the binder back sections I5 and I 6 comprise upright portions I9 and 20 which carry Vthe hinges I'I andu|8 respectiveli7 and longitudinally extending base portions 2| and 22 respectively, these base portions being at right-angles to ythe upright portions and lapping each other to be movable into more or less lapping relation as the toggle device is opened or closed.

These parts are advantageously of metal but each of the binder back portions I9, 2| and 20, 22

is desirably faced where 'it would contact a desk or table topwith a non-metallic finishing 23 and 24 respectively to prevent scratching. The usual covers 25 and 26 which may also be of metal but desirably nished with a non-metallic material similar to the finishing 23,V 24, but not here shown, are preferably hinged to the Vtoggle device parts I2 and I3 respectively as by the hinges 2'I and 28.V Y

It will be understood that the hinges I'I, I8, 27 and 28 comprise the usual aligned hinge sleeves on the binder parts through which sleeves areV passed the usual hinge rods, and, in accordance withthe present invention, the central hinge I4 for the toggle parts I2 and I3 similarly comprises the hinge rod 29 which passes through aligned hinge sleeves 3|] on the toggle parts I2 and 3| on the toggle part I3. These aligned hinge sleeves 39 and 3|, however, unlike the sleeves of the other hingesmentioned, are spaced apart on the hinge rod 29 so that each of the hinge sleeves 3| is spaced an equal distance from the adjacent hinge sleeves 30, leaving the spaces 32 therebetween at each end of each of the hinge sleeves 3|, so that the toggle Vpart I3 may shift longitudinally when the binder is partially or fully open, 'a distance in either direction from the normal opposed position of the toggle parts as shown in full lines in Figure 1, either to the distant shift position shown as at 33 in broken lines or to the proximate shift position shown at 34 in brokenlines.

.To accommodate this shift in either longitudinal direction, the usual opposed staggered prongs, a series of which 35 are carried by the toggle part I2 and another series of which 36 are carried by the toggle part I3, are normally spaced tion 2| so that as shown in Figure 9 when the binder is in the position shown in Figure 1 with the toggle parts in normally opposed position there is a space 31 at each end of the back portion 22 having a longitudinal distance the same as the spaces 32 on the center hinge I4, and which space 31 may be taken up by the back portion 22 when the toggle part I3 and its supporting back part I6 is shifted to the proximate longitudinally shifted position shown in broken lines at 34, for example. Movement in the opposite longitudinal direction as indicated by the broken lines 33 is reciprocal to that shown in Figure 9, and is as Ashown in Figure 11.

To assist in guiding the back portion 22 in both its transverse and longitudinal slidable movements with respect to the back part 2| to accommodate relative movement of the toggle device parts either into more or less overlapping position of the prongs 35 and 36, or in longitudinal shift relative movement of the toggle parts, the binder back portion 2| may carry at each/end a plate 38 welded as at 39 to the binder back portion 2| but inwardly offset therefrom as at 40 along a line defining the space 31 and receiving between it and the main back portion 2| the lapping back portion 22. For convenience in construction, this latter portion 22 may be formed separately of the back portion 20 and may be welded thereto as at 4I the back portion 20 having a short horizontal extension 42 for thisV purpose, the latter also serving to elevate the portion 22 slightly above the portion 2| so that these two parts are relatively movable in parallel adjacent planes. As will be seen from the drawings, the lapping back portions 2| and 22 have not only relative longitudinal movement but also relative transverse movement, to ac-l commodate opening and closing of the toggle device, to greater or less overlapping relationship, the overlapping of these parts being at its minimum as shown in Figures 6, 9 and 11 when the toggle device is in half-open position.

As shown in the drawings and in accordance with standard practice, the toggle device parts I2 and I3 each comprise a plate bent along longitudinal lines somewhat in the form of a chair,

Yand having a front portion 43 which carries the hinge sleeves 30 or 3| as the case may be, a seat portion 44 and a back portion 45, to which latter portion is here attached as by welding a prongcarrying plate per se 46 which carries the prongs 35 or 36 as the case may be. An auxiliary back plate 41 welded to the back portion 45 carries directly the toggle part sleeves for the hinges 21 or 28, as the case may be, the other sleeves for these hinges being carried by the covers 25 and 26 respectively, and this plate is desirably continued downwardly parallel with the front portion 43 so as to provide a box formation for the toggle parts, turned down portions 48 of the toggle parts at each end further dening their box-like character. Another hinge plate 49 Welded to the hinge plate 41 carries the toggle part sleeves for the hinge I1 or I8 as the case may be, the other sleeves for these hinges being carried by the upright portions I9 or 20 of the back parts I5 or I6, as the case may be. The covers, being hinged to the toggle device apart from the hinges of the toggle device to the back sections, desirably cause some of the weight of the covers and leaves thereon to tend to maintain the toggle device in equilibrium in halfopen position.

As clearly shown in the drawings, thestandard toggle portions 45 and 46 are here, adjacent the hinges 21 and 28, serviceably and uniquely extended outwardly beyond the hinge so that when the covers are brought toward each other to close the binder, the toggle parts tend to be fulcrumed downwardly so as to move the prongs toward each other also into closed position to guard against spilling of the sheets.

When the binder back is in fully closed position as indicated in Figures 2 and 5, the parts 'are releasably so maintained by fully closed locking mechanism, including a hook 50 desirably one at each end of the binder, suitably secured within the boxing of the toggle part I2, and projecting therefrom through an aperture 5I in the portion 43 of the toggle part to be received through another aperture 52 in the portion 43 of the other toggle part I3 where the hook is engaged by a catch bar 53 (Fig. 2) this bar being spring-pressed into locking position by the coil compression spring 54 and being movable against the forceof this spring to receive the hook under the influence of the cam nose 55 of the hook. The bars 53, one at each end ofthe binder, are desirably angled along a longitudinal line to slide in the corner between the inner faces of the toggle portions 43 and 44 of the toggle part I3, and are cut away as at 52a therein to register more or less with the apertures 52. For common movement the catch bars 53 may be connected by a strap 56 as by spot-welding 51, and one of the bars, in this instance the proximate one in Figure 1, is conveniently extended beyond the end of the toggle parts in a thumb-piece 58 which moves with the toggle part I3, the spring 54 and the release thumb-piece 58 thus serving both of the bars 53 as a unit, clips 53a guiding the locking bars 53 in their sliding movement.

,In accordance with the present invention, in addition to the fully closed locking mechanism just described, I provide partially open locking means for the toggle device including a bridge member 59 on one of the toggle parts, in this instance the toggle part I2, the bridge member having a locking lip 60 engageable with a latch 6I on the other toggle part, this latch being so constructed, and arranged as to yield in the direction of pull of the bridge member 59 (Figure 7) when release means is actuated, which pull will occur when it is desired to open the toggle parts from the partially or half-open position shown in Figure 6 to the fully open position shown in Figure 8. The latch 6I is floatingly carried by a rest piece 63, in this instance desirably in the form of a channel. 'Ihe latch 6I is normally prevented from yielding in the direction of the pull of the bridge member by a detent 62 which enters the channel member 63, the detent by thus pressing laterally the lower end 64 of the latch prevents the latch from rotating on the channel wall at 65 to releasing position as shown in Figure 7. The latch whether under the influence of the detent 62 or not, is continuously pressed uponby a leaf spring 6 6 which vrestores the latch to upright position, as shown'in Figure 8, for example, as soon as pull on the latch ceases. The thumbpiece 58 may conveniently actuate `not only the catch bars 53 for the fully closed locking mechanism, but also the detent v62 as by having the detent formed integrally with a strip 61 secured at 68 as by spot-welding 68a to the catch bar connecting strap 56. The leaf spring 66 is desirably welded as at 69 directly to the inner face of the portion 43 of the toggle part I3, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, so as to be independent of the strap 56. f

Asbest shown in Figure 10, the channel'member 63 ,has a pair of upper `walls 'IU which overhangingly abut shoulders II on the lower end 64 of the latch 6I, thus oatingly retaining the latchin the channeLfand these walls 'IIJ may also be employed to spot-weld the channel member to the inner face of the portion 44 of the toggle part I3 in the corner where this portion adjoins the portion 43, a lateral wall 'I2 of the channel member beingwelded tothe portion 43 at this point so that the upper end of the latch 6I may protrude through an elongated slot I3 in the toggle portion 44 to engage the lip 68 of the locking bridge 59 carried by the other toggle part.

The bridge member 59 may be carried by the toggle part I2 as by fingers 'I4 at the end of the bridge member opposite the lip 60 and which fingers pass loosely through apertures I5 in the toggle portion 44, and are then turned upward slightly thereunder as at 16. Between the iingers 'I4 is a tail 'II which passes through an aperture 'I8 `in the toggle portion 44 and is perforated as at I8 to receive one end Yof a wire reed spring 88, the other end of which is anchored by a plate-8| on the inner face of the toggle portion 44 as by spot-welding 82. r

The bridge member 58 is thus spring-pressed toward the latch 6I so that its'lip 60 will tend to engage the latch when the other parts are in proper position therefor, and also so as to permit the lip v6I! to be resiliently cammed over Vthe edge of the latch 6I, the reed spring 80 yielding momentarily for this purpose, the bridge member being desirably angled as at 83 so that in moving the prong-holding parts toward each other from the position shown inFigure 8 to the position shown in Figure 6 the lip of the bridge will first strike the latch and ride thereover into locking position, and will then lock the toggle parts against movement back to the position shown in Figure 8, unless and until the thumbpiece 58 be pressed to cause the detent 62 to move in the channel 63 away from the abutment with the lower .fendi 64 of the latch 6I as in Figure 2, and to the position shown in Figure 4, so that the latch can rotate as shown in Figure 7 to permit its upper end to yield (but under the influence of the spring 66) in the direction of the pull of the bridge, the lip 68 then slipping away from the latch.,

When the toggle parts are in half-open position, as shown in Figure 6, and when the toggle parts are in normal opposite relationship as shown in Figure l, these parts are also locked against relative longitudinal movement by interengaging means on the bridge member and latch, represented in this instance by lugs 84 in the form of spaced apart strips welded to the under face of the bridge member and angular at their outer ends to lap-and vbe Vsubstantially colterminous'with the lip 68. Ar The ,distancelbetween the lugs A84 is just slightly greater than the dimension, longitudinally ofthe kbinder back, of the upperend ofthe latch 6I, so that in the position of the vparts last mentioned, the latch isv abutted at eachend by thelugs 84 which thus inhibit Irelative longitudinal movement of the toggle parts. The parts shown in Figure 10 are desirablycase-hardened tov minimize wear therebetween, and particularly where the upper corners .of the latch engage the lugs, as shown in Figures 6 `and 7. I

When, now, the half-opening locking mechanism is released by pressing the thumb-piece 58,*the -prongs'may be spread apart to fully open position as in Figure 8, and the toggle part I3 may then be shifted longitudinally of the toggle part I2 in either direction, as already described. Assuming thatthe toggle part I3 has been shifted to its distant longitudinal position as shown in broken lines at'33, Figure 1,the toggle parts may be brought again together into half-open positionk as shown in Figure 6 with the toggle part I3 still in longitudinally `shifted position, the bridge 58 again engaging the latch 6I but, as best shown in Figure 10, with one of the lugs 84 ridingon the latch. Thus the toggle parts are locked against further opening movement but are not locked against reverse longitudinal movement of the toggle part I3 to return the toggle parts to normal opposed position in the binder back as shown in Figure 1. In this movement the lug 84 and lip 60 ride togetheron the latch edge I until the latch is centered between the lugs 84,

whereupon the reed spring 88 urges the lip 60 directly into engagement with the latch between the lugs,'the space between the lugs thus providing a notch for the reception of the latch.

The spaced apart 86 and 81 of the binder back finishing 23 and 24 which lap the binder back portions 2| and 22 along their longitudinal edges respectively in a common plane guard against scratching of the desk or other table top during `manipulation of the binder through the various relative positions of the binder back parts, and at the same time the overlapping character of the binder back portions 2| and 22 minimizes ,undesirable open spaces between the binder back parts when these parts are spread apart to maximum spread apart position, as shown in Figures 6, 9 and 11, onlya relatively small gap 88 occurring at each end of the binder in the maximum spread apart condition of the parts and no space at all in the closed position of the binder'back shown in Figure 5. Also the uninterrupted router face of the binder back portion 2| alfords a relatively large usable area for the placement of a label or other informative insignia, referring as, for example, to the nature of the contents of a particular binder.

Advantageous operation of the binder is as follows:

The binder back may be laid on a desk or other table top as shown in cross-section in Figure 5, and the covers opened to thev positions indicated, at which time the .bindermay be used like an ordinary book, account leaves or the like |08 (Figure la) being held in the binder in echelons with' exposed margins steppedly arranged longitudinally of the binder back by the prongs 3,5 and 36, the leaves beingA impaled thereon :through perforations in their other margins for this purpose in a well known manner not necessary to be here further described.

Unlocking of the toggle .parts from fully closed position as shown in Figure 5 is effected by pressing the thumb-piece 58 to release the hooks 50 from the catch bars 53. As is also well known and need not be further described,'if it be desider to make manual entries on the leaves, the toggle device may'beopened toV half-open position, as shown in -Figures 1, la and 6, so as to cause the leavesto lie flatter, and thereupon the leaves on the left-hand side `of the binder will be held by the prongs 35, and the leaves on the right-hand side of the binder will be held by the prongs 36, but these prongs being staggeredly overlapped' for swinging the leaves thereon.

If now it be desired to insert an additional leaf in its proper place in echelon, some of the leaves on the right-hand side of the binder next adjacent to the position which the additional leaf is intended to occupy, are swung to the left-hand side of the binder. Then the: half-open locking mechanism is unlocked by again pressing on the thumb-piece to release the latch 6I from the locking lip 69 of the bridge 59,1which permits the prongs to spread apart to the position shown in Figure 8. Then the additional leaf is inserted on the prongs 35 inproper place in echelon, then the toggle part I3 is shifted longitudinally to its distant shifted position as indicated in broken lines at 33, Figure 1. Then the prongs are brought again'into overlapping position by moving the toggle parts I2 and I3 toward each other whereupon the half-open locking mechanism including the latch 6I and lip 60 will again engage to hold the prongs in the overlapped position shown in Figure 6. At this time since the toggle part I3 is still in longitudinally shifted position as indicated by the broken lines 33, the engagement of the latch 6I with the lockingV lip 60 will be as shown in Figure 10l in which the lip 60 is riding on the latch 6I through the intermediation of one of the lugs 84. The toggle parts are thus locked against relative rotative movement which might permit the prongs to separate from overlapped position, but the toggle parts are not locked against relative longitudinal movement. Next the leaves which had been swung to the left-hand side of the binder are swung back to the right-hand side while the toggle part I3 is still in shifted position as shown at 33. Next the toggle part I3 is shifted longitudinally back to normal opposite position with respect to the toggle part I2 as indicated in full lines in Figure 1, the latch 6I thereupon riding off of the lug 84 and into the notch 85 between the two lugs 84 and locking the toggleY parts both against relative rotative movement which would permit the prongs to separate, and against longitudinal shifting movement, which might displace the leaves from their proper positions in echelon. The additional leaf is now located in its proper position.

Conversely, if it be desired to remove a leaf, the binder back being again in the position shown in Figures 1, la and 6, the leaves on the righthand side of the binder next adjacent the leaf to be removed, are swung to the left-hand side of the binder, the thumb-piece pressed to release the half-open locking mechanism and to permit the prongs to separate, the leaf to be removed taken off the right-hand side of the binder, the toggle part I3 shifted longitudinally but this time to proximate shifted position, as indicated in brok'en lines 34, Figure l, the prongs brought together into overlapping position by rotating the toggle parts to again lock the half-open locking mechanism (at which time the latch 6I rides on the lip 60 through the intermediation of the other lug 84 opposite to the one shown'engaged with it in Figure 10) the leaveswhich had been swung to the left-hand'side of the binder'are swung back to the right-hand side of the binder, and the toggle part I3 shifted back to normal opposite relation with the toggle part I2, whereupon the latch 6I again slips into the notch 85 to hold the toggle parts against both relative rotative separating movement and relative longitudinal shifting movement. It will be notedthat the longitudinal shift of the binder part I3 in'either direction is to la distance whereby a leaf in said series of leaves say, may be shiftedv longitudinally of the binderv a distance substantially equal to its exposed margin to insert or remove a leaf intermedially in the series.

It will be understood that during the longitudinal shifting movements of the toggle part I3 as just described, the binder back part I6 and cover 2B move with the toggle part I3 as are also shown in broken lines in Figure l at 33 and 34 respectively, showing the alternate selective-shift# able positions and as shown in broken lines in Figure 9 and in full lines in Figure 11.

Since the latch 6I yields when released as described in the direction of pull of the bridge member 59, the weight of the leaves in the binder, which it will be understood isY considerable when' the binder is fully loaded, is prevented from placing a tension upon locking parts 60 and 6I which has been found in prior locking devices to make difficult the release of the locking mechanism.

The importance of the features of simplicity of structure and ease of operation of the present binderwill b e appreciated when it is understood that bindersk of this type are commonly made in large sizes and are most frequently handled and used by young women clerks.

Manifestly, the invention isnot limited to details of construction shown for purposes of exempliiication. Furthermore, it is not essential that all features of the invention be used conjointly, as various combinations and sub-combinations may be advantageously employed.

Y Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a two-part prong-holding toggle device, of a twopart binder back supporting the toggle device, the toggle device being hinged to the back, each part of the binder back having an upright portion hinged to the toggle device and a longitudinally extending base portion at substantially right` angles to the upright portions, the base portions lapping each other and movable laterally into more or less lapping relation as the toggle device 1s opened .or closed, interconnected means for guiding one part of the back and its supported toggle part both for movement toward and from the other part and also for limited longitudinal movement, and a pair of covers hinged to the toggle device apart from where the toggle device is` hinged to the back.

2. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a two-part prong-holding device, of a two-part binder back supporting the device, each part of the binder back having an upright portion hinged to the device and a longitudinally extending base portion at substantially right-angles to the upright portions, the base portions lapping each otherx and movable laterally into more or less lapping relation as the device is opened or closed, and interconnected means for guiding one part of the back and its supported device part both for limited movement toward and from the other parts and also for limited longitudinal movement.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination With a two-part prong holding toggle device, the parts of the toggle device being arranged for limited relative longitudinal movement on a medial hinge, of a two-part binder back supporting the toggle device, each part of the binder back having an upright portion hinged to the toggle device and a longitudinally extending base portion at substantially right angles to the upright portions, the said base portion on one of the back parts being slightly oiset to be in an adjacent plane parallel to and above said base portion on the other back part whereby the said base portions are adapted to overlap while having relative lateral movement limited by the toggle device and under the influence thereof, and a pair of keeper plates one at each end of the binder back secured to the second mentioned base portion and oiset therefrom to a plane parallel to and overlying the first mentioned base portion whereby to guide the base portions in their relative movement, said first mentioned base portion also being shorter longitudinally than the said second mentioned base portion and the said keeper plates extending longitudinally beyond the said first mentioned base portion whereby tov opened or closed, the toggle device parts having limited relative longitudinal movement on the said medial hinge, and the toggle device part moving longitudinally with respect to the other toggle device part being arranged to carry With it in said longitudinal movement its respective supporting back part portion, interconnected means on the back parts for guiding the said parts in response to relative movement of the toggle device parts on the medial hinge, and a finishing part carried by each binder Yback partlapping the base portion along the longitudinal edge of the binder back, the finishing partsV lying in a common plane and spaced apart medially of the binder back whereby to permit said relative movement of the said back parts.

5. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a prong-holding toggle device having a medial hinge and two relatively angularly movable parts, of a two-part binder back supporting the toggle device, each part of the binder back having an upright portion hinged to one part of the toggle device and a longitudinally extending base portion at an angular relation to the upright portions, the toggle device parts having limited relative longitudinal movement on the said medial hinge, and the toggle device part moving longitudinally with respect to the other toggle device part being arranged to carry with it in said longitudinal movement its respective supporting back part portion, means on the back parts lapping each other and relatively movable laterally as the toggle device is opened or closed and the back parts move relatively laterally at least partially responsive to the relative angular movement of said toggle device parts, and` interconnected means for guiding one back part and its supported device part for said limited longitudinal movement With respect to the other back part and the supported device part of the latter back part.

ALFRED M. MARTIN. 

